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Associated Press • Wednesday January 9, 2013 11:46 AM

PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- An early morning blaze at a home in rural eastern Kentucky killed four
children and an adult today.

Pike County Coroner Russell Roberts and Kentucky State Police Trooper Tony Watts confirmed
the deaths to The Associated Press, but neither could give names or ages. Watts said one injured
person was taken to the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington with injuries sustained
in the fire.

Watts said the fire began just after 2:30 a.m. today in the Jonancy community of Pike County.

Pike County Emergency Management Coordinator Doug Tackett said the fire happened in a rural
area of Pike County, about three hours southeast of Lexington in the eastern coal field area of the
state. Tackett said three fire departments responded to the fire, but he had no other information.

Firefighters at the scene of the small home were waiting for the remaining structure to cool
off before going inside to investigate.

Darrell Compton, chief of the Shelby Valley Volunteer Fire Department, said the bodies of the
victims remained inside the home late this morning.

"We're still doing the overhaul and the cooling of the structure to get in there and do
that," Compton said.

Investigators with the state fire marshal's office were at the scene.

No officials could recall a similar deadly blaze in Kentucky since 10 people, including six
children, were killed in a house fire in Bardstown in February 2007.

"It's probably been the worst we've had in this area in a long, long time," Watts said.

County Judge-Executive spokesman Brandon Roberts said there's been no similar fatal fire in
the county in recent years.